PlacesPages: Willamette River Bridges: Fremont Bridge

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Willamette River Bridges: Fremont Bridge

Fremont Bridge on May 22, 2007

The double-deck Fremont Bridge has the longest main span of any bridge in Oregon. Each of the two levels has four lanes. It is the second longest tied arch bridge in the world, after the Caiyuanba Bridge over the Yangtze River in China which opened on October 29, 2007.

View showing Fremont Bridge on August 19, 2007

The main arch span was constructed in California and assembled on Swan Island, 1.7 miles downstream, and floated into place on a barge. On March 16, 1973, the 6,000 ton steel arch span was lifted 170 feet with 32 hydraulic jacks. The Guinness Book of World Records listed it as the heaviest lift ever completed. It was supervised by bridge engineer Ed Wortman.

Fremont Bridge on June 10, 2007

The bridge opened on November 11, 1973. The flags on top of the arch were added in 1976; the flags measure 15 by 25 feet and are on 50 foot poles. Though it is hard to tell, the Fremont Bridge is painted a very pale Celery Green.

Fremont Bridge on June 10, 2007

The Fremont Bridge is named for John Charles Frémont, who was a Military Governor of California, one of the first two United States Senators from California, the first Republican Presidential candidate and the first candidate of a major party to run on a platform opposing slavery, a Civil War General and a Governor of the Arizona Territory.

Fremont Bridge on June 10, 2007

Bridge Type:	Double-deck Tied Arch Bridge
Opened:	November 11, 1973
Designed by:	Oregon Department of Transportation Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc. Portland Art Commission Federal Highway Administration
Total Length:	2,154 feet
Main Span Length:	1,255 feet
Vertical Clearance:	175 feet
Construction Cost:	$82 million
Carries:	Interstate 405/U.S. Highway 30
Owned by:	Oregon Department of Transportation
Color:	Celery Green